Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-28

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The diagram below shows the floor plan of a public library 20 years ago and how it looks now.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Central Library 20 years ago

Student answer (Band 4.5)

The diagram shows the difference of Central Library before 20 years ago and now. IT is totally different from each other.

Central Library today, when you entered the library through entrance there are separate rooms for different kinds of things. When you enter the Library , there are 4 rooms in each corner and in center there are tables and chairs. Where people sit there on chairs and study. There are 2 rooms in the left corner. One with entrance and other is far from entrance so far from entrance room there is CDs, videos and computer games. And with entrance attach room, this room is a reading room, where people read newspaper and magazines. and the space left between these left corner rooms there are adult fiction books.

Now right side there is also 2 rooms as same as like left corner rooms. Far from entrance, this room is for children's books. and attach one with entrance is for enquiry desk (tickets, book returns). and in free space between them is for adult non-fiction books.

Central Library after 20 years ago, there is change from it. When you enter the library there are b4 rooms , 2 in left and 2 in right. In the right 2 rooms one is lecture room and other one cafe and in between space is for adult fiction books, information desk and self-service machine are there. Now in right there are also 2 rooms but change in dimension. The left far away from entrance have high dimensions while with entrance attach room it have less dimension. In high dimension room. there are 2 sofa , storytelling events and children's fiction room. And other one is computer room. And space between rooms , there are all reference books.

So there are the details of diagram of Central Library today and 20 years ago

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response4.0
Coherence and Cohesion4.0
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy4.0
Overall4.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response attempts to describe the two floor plans of the Central Library, but it struggles significantly with structure and clarity. While the student identifies several features from both the past and present layouts (such as the reading room, computer room, and café), the descriptions are frequently confused, repetitive, and difficult to follow. The attempt to compare the two maps lacks a cohesive overview, which is a core requirement for Academic Task 1. Furthermore, the confusion over which layout corresponds to twenty years ago versus today detracts from task fulfillment. Ideas are underdeveloped due to poor spatial referencing and inaccurate reporting of the visual data. This places the response firmly within Band 4.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

The organization of the response is weak and lacks logical progression. The student attempts to guide the reader using directional phrases like 'when you entered' and 'now right side', but these cohesive devices are mechanical, repetitive, and frequently confusing. Paragraphing is poorly handled, with a single massive block of text or disjointed sentences that do not follow a clear thematic structure. The lack of standard paragraph transitions means information about the past and present is jumbled together without clear separation, making the overall progression hard to follow. This reflects the descriptors for Band 4.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

Vocabulary usage is basic, repetitive, and often unnatural. The student relies heavily on simple, high-frequency words and phrases such as 'rooms', 'space', 'left', and 'right'. There are noticeable lexical inadequacies and awkward word choices, such as 'attach one with entrance' instead of 'adjacent to the entrance' or 'high dimensions' instead of 'larger rooms'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to communicate basic physical locations, inaccuracies in word formation and collocation are frequent and occasionally strain the reader's understanding. This aligns well with the Band 5.0 descriptors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.0

The grammatical range is severely limited. The response consists mostly of simple sentences and faulty attempts at complex structures, which are frequently ungrammatical. There are numerous basic errors in verb tenses, prepositions, articles, and sentence structure throughout the text (e.g., 'before 20 years ago', 'when you entered... there are', 'it have less dimension'). Punctuation is also erratic, with missing commas and awkward clause separations. These frequent errors cause considerable difficulty for the reader and prevent the response from achieving a higher band. This performance corresponds to a Band 4.0.

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